Rest Easy, Young Private
by MiniBrissy
Summary: The three older brothers wrap up training, walking back to their tent late at night. However, this night wouldn't be one full of rest as their baby brother's health seems to be wavering again with a fever. Traveling with a circus, their options are limited, so what can they do to help Private?


Don't Cry, I've Got You

"Alright, boys, good training today!" Skipper announced proudly. He stood in front of his two brothers, arms on his hips and beamed them a smile. The short man eyed one of the younger men in front of him and closed one eye. Skipper heaved a smug sigh. "Don't be so down, Kowalski, you did pretty well today."

The slouched second-in-command raised a brow. He rubbed the back of his neck as he stretched his back straighter. "Yes, Skipper." Kowalski pressed a small button on the side of his glasses. In his right lense, the time appeared. "20:55 pm, Skipper."

The older brother gave a hum, crossing his arms. "Alrighty then, men. Let's head back in then. If either of you want to eat before so, I better see you in your bunk by 22 o' clock sharp, capiche?" The leader informed, beginning to walk towards their tent.

"Got it, Skipper." Kowalski responded as he began to follow his older brother.

"Woo! Alrigh'!" the other man, Rico, exclaimed as he caught up to walk beside the other two.

It was a rather cool night. It was fairly silent except for the small chatter from any of the residing circus members. Many of them were still awake, as they had been rehearsing their show the whole day.

Skipper looked ahead after a while of staring down at the trail as the trio made their way to the tents. He could see the light get closer and brighter the nearer they got. In the center of it was the main, big tent. That was where the circus rehearsed or performed. Beside it was a smaller tent; the cafeteria. Sadly, the lights in that tent were not currently on, meaning that food had already been served.

"Aww.." Rico groaned, scratching his head after he also noticed the tent's dimness.

"Sorry, buddy," Skipper said to him, nudging the explosives expert's arm with his elbow. "Here, we can go to our tent and make some dinner with the fish we have. Have a small barbecue outside the tent if you want," Skipper offered.

"Hmmm.. okay!"the taller man happily agreed to as he threw his arms into the air.

Kowalski watched and gave a chuckle at the two's slight negotiation.

"Hm.. that sounds nice, actually. It's been a while since we brothers had done something like that.." Kowalski thought to himself as he looked up and stared at the bright stars. "Hopefully Skipper'll join us and end up staying up a bit late. Maybe we can take tomorrow a bit easier then."

The three Tux brothers had changed their track from the cafeteria to head to their tent. It was a bit of a walk, but it wasn't anything that bothered any of them.

After a few minutes of thinking back to the day, Kowalski snapped his eyes down to Skipper. The taller stared at the ringleader's face for a few moments, but was caught off guard when Skipper showed attention without even moving his own eyes to look at Kowalski.

"What do you want Kowalski? Shoot, man," Skipper teased, still keeping eye contact with the ground.

"How was Private feeling before we left to go train?" Kowalski questioned.

"Ye, yea?" Rico added to show that he also was curious.

The three had actually all been taken aback by the youngest's sudden illness. He had woken up today and was unable to get up without feeling nauseous. The tiny boy was so vulnerable in that state; he couldn't stand nor sit, he wouldn't eat anything, and he had dizzying spells whenever he tried anything that his body seemed to protest to.

Skipper looked up and faced the twos' direction, arms now behind him on his back.

"Private was still feeling under the weather. Last thing I did before we had to head out was that I put him to bed after he refused to take anything in. Gave him some of that gross medicine we have, made sure he was comfy, tucked him in and waited 'till the kid was asleep."

Kowalski gave an acknowledging hum to Skipper's answer.

"It's still so weird though, right Kowalski?" Skipper asked suddenly.

"Huh? What is?"

"Y'know, the sudden spike in Private's health. Yesterday he was completely healthy, wasn't he? He was running around yesterday, he ate all three meals without a problem. Now he's completely bedridden."

"Well.. well, it could be an effect of his "birth", Skipper. Remember what Nigel said before we set off from him? And besides, this has happened other times before, hasn't it? Healthy one day, completely drained the next."

"Yeah, but it has just got to stop. I swear one of these days one of his viruses is one that he can't handle," Skipper commented with a worried tone.

"I've been trying to figure out more information, Skipper, but for now all he can do is get through them. Hopefully it'll go away when he gets older."

"Hm"

" Is sc'ry, hu?" Rico rasped, tilting his head.

"Yeah, it's pretty scary no matter how many times it happens."

The brothers continued walking, making small talk from time to time to break the silence until they finally arrived to their tent. Skipper opened the flap, allowing some of the tent's dim light to escape out into the night's darkness. They all entered the tent.

"Alright, you guys still wanna have that barbecue we talked about?" Skipper asked, curious as to if Rico was still hungry.

Rico nodded excitedly, and Kowalski gave a smile as he shrugged.

"You boys go start a fire a few feet from the tent. I'll come out with the fish soon, Skipper said. "I'll check on Private before I head out."

The two agreed after being declined their offer of helping the eldest brother with Private. Even though their help was declined, the two still gave an "alright, but if you or Private need any help, we'll be outside" and the two headed out.

Skipper turned around from the tent's flap and faced the bunk bed that he had put Private on. He climbed the ladder, still being too short to have been able to see the small child. After a few steps up, Skipper was met with a shaking figure under the covers. Slightly panicked at Private's tremors, Skipper gently took hold of the blanket that was covering Private's face and carefully slipped it off.

"Private? Private, wake up kid," Skipper called.

The man was a bit startled to see that Private was crying. Not awake, but crying. Was it a nightmare? Was he in pain?

After a few more failed attempts of trying to get Private to wake up, Skipper decided to carefully pick Private up, still wrapped in the blanket, and cradled him on the bottom bunk.

Skipper continued to call for his little soldier, still cradling and rocking the youngest in his arms. Sadly to Skipper, Private's tears and small cries continued.

Hugging the child a bit tighter, he whispered, "Please stop crying, I've got you, I've got you, little soldier"

After a few minutes, Private was beginning to give small responses to Skipper's words. But he refused to open his eyes as he held them closed tight.

"Diz..Dizzy and.. h't.. don..t feel w'll.."

Private's weak state of health broke Skipper's heart. Why should such a thing like this happen to Private out of anyone?

Skipper thought about what to do. They had run out of medicine, and were miles away from a place to get any more, not to mention late at night. He had a rag, but no cold water to soak it in.

He thought for a few minutes. Slowly, he got up, still cradling Private, and made his way outside. He walked to the two men standing outside by a small fire.

"Pr'vate no' fe'ling 'kay?" Rico asked, gently rubbing Private's cheek. "W'arm?"

"Yeah, he said he wasn't feeling too okay. Dizzy and warm, but we don't have any medicine left. I brought this rag to see if there was any clean water around that he could use, which I see there is."

Kowalski held his hand out to Skipper, motioning for the rag, and soaked it in the small pond that lied a few feet from him. He put the rag on Private's forehead carefully, who flinched and tensed at the contact at first before warming up to the cool touch.

"Seems we don't have many options then. But, we can make do with what we've got," Kowalski thoughtfully said.

"It's quite a chilly night.. maybe it'll lower his fever or at least what he's feeling," Kowalski said as he hooked his finger onto the blanket that wrapped around Private and shifted it down so that the refreshing air could cool Private.

"And.. well, we are having a barbecue, so maybe we can try to get him to eat now. But if he still can't, we have to at least get him to take in some water."

Throughout the night, the four had their small barbecue, chatting as the fish was being cooked. It had been a while since the four had this close of a bonding activity.

A while into it, Private began to toss and turn in Skipper's arm. He stretched a bit, and then relaxed. He rubbed his eyes with a mittened hand.

To Rico, Skipper, and Kowalski's surprise, he began to slowly open his eyes. The calming darkness that the outside provided was so much easier on the eyes, especially ones that were strained by illness. He looked around to the men who watched him, and shifted around again and closed his eyes again.

True, it wasn't very comforting to the older brothers that Private still didn't eat as much as they wanted him to, but it made them feel slightly better that Private was, in fact, sleeping in much more peace and comfort than when Skipper had found him crying.


End file.
